Yesterday was the first day of autumn and as if by magic the sniffles and sore throats started.  My standard response to most complaints is as follows;

1. Have a drink of water. 

2. Have an early night.

3. Rub it and it will feel better. 

If all the above fail, I make soup.  Lots of it.  Last night was carrot and ginger, which I thought would soothe the throats and chase away the sniffles.  Well, it worked.  This morning all was right with the world, plus there's more soup in the fridge for emergencies.


Carrot and Ginger Soup.

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic
6-8 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon of parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
2 teaspoons of minced fresh ginger
32 oz of organic chicken stock
1 tablespoon of heavy cream (optional)

Melt the butter and olive oil in a good sized saucepan.  Add the shallots, salt and pepper and saute on a med/low heat until soft.  Approx 5-7 minutes. 

Add the celery, garlic, carrots, parsley, cumin, coriander and ginger.  Stir until thoroughly combined, add the chicken broth. 

Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and partially cover.  Cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 20-25 minutes. 

Turn off the heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes or so, then blend to a puree.  Add more chicken stock if the soup is too thick.  Return to the pan, check the seasons and add a splash of heavy cream if desired.

To serve, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley and a grinding of salt and pepper.